Ismailia, Egypt

Programme Highlights

• Three mental health campaigns were carried out in schools in Egypt,: one in Ismailia, one in Alarish (north Sinai), and another one in Port-Said. In Ismailia, over 3000 secondary school students were targeted. Post campaign assessment revealed increase in knowledge and changes in attitudes and myths.
• Medical students have been key to efforts in Ismailia. They conducted surveys and created innovative educational materials such as videos, brochures, posters and a website in Arabic.
• In 2001 the anti-stigma activities moved from Ismailia to include the Ministry of Health, Office of Mental Health, and to the public media with Professor Okasha's Annual Lecture about "The Role of Mass Media in Elimination of Stigma of Mental Illness," which was delivered by the leading actor in the Arab world, Mr. Hussein Fahmy.
• Currently efforts are underway to translate the global programme website - www.openthedoors.com - into Arabic.

Programme Coordinator
Dr. Tarek A. Okasha, Asst. Professor of Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine
Ain Shams University
3, Shawarby Street, Kasr El Nil
Cairo, Egypt
Tel: +(202) 3366799 / 3350233 | Fax: +(202) 7481786
Email: [email protected]
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